Marcus

 

As I walk away from my girls, I nod my head at Jensen, letting him know to follow me. He squints his eyes in question but follows me anyways with no words said. I walk through the house, then stop in the kitchen and grab a couple of beers. I walk out to the back yard and take a seat at the table and chairs. He follows suit then asks me, “What’s up, Marcus? Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“I haven’t seen a ghost, but one has followed me, us.”

“You’re going to have to explain that one, man,” he says tipping his beer back and taking a drink. Once he’s finished, he sits back in his chair and dangles his beer over the side, he’s holding the top of the bottle between two fingers, swinging it back and forth. I’m so transfixed on the swinging bottle, that I nearly don’t speak. “Marcus, man you need to talk to me. You’re freaking me the fuck out.”

“Sorry,” I mumble, taking my eyes away from the hypnotizing swing of the bottle. “When we went to pick up Shyann earlier, I got the shock of a lifetime,” I say to him. “The woman we carried out of that burning building, it was Carolina Sheridan.” He looks at me but seems confused. “Sherry’s wife,” I say.

“Fuck! Where’s Steven? Did he get wrapped up in another tour?” I swallow hard at what I have to tell him next.

“He died in a roadside bombing before he ever even made it home.”

“Fuck!” He stands up and throws his beer bottle against the brick wall of the house. “No way, we would’ve heard something!” he shouts.

“I would’ve thought so as well,” I tell him.

“This is fucked up, man. It’s bullshit!” he says, anger taking hold of him.

“I’m going to make a few phone calls and find out why no one from our unit called us to let us know. As soon as I hear something, I’ll let you know.”

“No, I want to be there when you make that call.”

“Alright then,” I tell him, not wanting to argue with him. He was as close to Sherry as I was. Damn, I can’t believe he’s fucking gone. We sit on the back porch in silence for a while, drinking our beers, lost in thoughts of the past.

I hear the back door slide open, but don’t look at who it is coming out. “Marcus, sweetie, Levi and Carson need to start the grill for dinner. Is it alright for them to come out now?” Glory asks me.

“Yeah, Glory, that’s fine,” I say getting up from my chair. “I need to check in on Emory and Shyann anyways. You going to be alright, Jensen?”

“I’ll be fine,” he begins, “but I think I’m going to hang out here for a bit. I’ll be inside later,” he says nodding his head at me.

“I’ll just be inside if you need me for anything,” I tell him as I walk away. I know exactly what it is he’s feeling, and I needed some space, so I’ll give him his.

I walk in the doors and hear Shyann squealing in happiness, causing a smile to form on my face. “I’ll do right by her, I swear it, man,” I say under my breath, then continue on into the house. The sight that greets me is one of happiness and contentment. Shyann is laying on the floor on a throw blanket with toys surrounding her. She lifts her head up and is reaching out to grab one of the toys, which immediately makes it into her mouth. I walk over and lay down next to her on the floor, “That doesn’t belong in your mouth, pretty girl.” She smiles up at me, and I can’t help but notice her father in her eyes. She definitely has his grey eyes, they sparkle with life. She gets up on all fours and rocks, excitement blooms in my stomach, she hasn’t been active since the incident, and now she looks like she’s ready to take on the world.

“You going to crawl to me?” She giggles, and her sweet baby sounds are soothing my soul. “C’mon, sweet girl, you got this,” I say in a calming voice. She rocks back and forth then drops to her belly and army crawls her way to me. I throw my head back in laughter, and then notice the room around me is quiet. I look around and notice everyone is staring at me. “What?” I ask.

“You’re so good with her,” Emory says to me.

“She’s a baby, babies are easy. All they require is love, patience, food and a diaper change here and there. There are no expectations other than those things from her,” I say nodding her way. Emory comes and sits on the floor next to me, grabbing a stuffed animal on her way. She uses it on my stomach trying to coax Shyann into coming to us.

“You’re the best man I know, Marcus.”

“Nah, nowhere near the best, baby. But I’ll try to be everything you and Shyann need. I’m going to fuck up from time to time, but I’ll keep trying and learn from my lessons,” I say, knowing that every word I spouted is the truth.

“You are your own worst critic, Marcus. Where every word you just said is the truth, you are so much more than you give yourself credit for.” I lean over and give her a kiss, then I feel something hitting my face and release her from my lips to look over and see Shyann is there, she was trying to gather my attention. I pick her up, lay on my back and lift her over my head. Her giggles become contagious, and next thing I know we’re all laughing.

“We’re going to be alright, Marcus.”

“That we are, beautiful.” I say, never taking my eyes off Shyann.

 

 

The next couple of weeks fly by, between work, adjusting to having a baby in the home and my extensive phone calls, Emory and I are both beyond exhausted. I’ve called everyone under the sun to find out about Sheridan and my old unit. I keep getting the runaround and being told someone will get back to me. This is getting ridiculous, what’s the big secret? Why is everything so hush-hush anyways? I’m worried there’s something bigger at play here than what I originally thought. This is simple, basic information I’ve requested. The things I’ve inquired about, any civilian should be able to get answers to. I’m not just anyone however, this is my old unit and team members I’m inquiring about.

I feel as if I’m being reprimanded for discharging. I’ve taken a bite of the forbidden fruit, and I am no longer considered a part of the government’s elite boys. This has all made me more determined than I was before to get my answers I seek. I will not give up until I know exactly what it was that happened and where the rest of my team is. I walk into the door of the station and Jensen is waiting for me in the lounge area.

“Anything yet?” he asks me.

“Well, hello to you too. I’ve been great, thanks for asking.”

“Smartass, I can see you’re fine,” he says, following me to my bunker.

“Nothing, not a goddamned thing. I don’t know what it is they’re hiding, but I’m getting irritated and pissed off.”

“I’ve called some of my inside sources, they’re checking on things from their end, but every time one of them tries, the door gets slammed in their faces—literally.”

“There have to be some bigger fish we can fry somewhere,” I say to him.

“What’s bothering me the most, is that none of our team members can be found. What do you think that means, man?”

“I wish I knew, I really do.” I sit on my bed and put my hands in my hair as I bend over, my thoughts are all over the place.